At birth, polar bears are blind, nearly hairless and weigh just over a pound—about the same as a loaf of bread. But they spend their first few months snuggled inside a snowy den, fattening up on their mother’s milk.

Polar bear cubs are incredibly cute - and amazingly elusive. Their mothers dig dens under the snow in remote areas. Protecting cubs is key to the species' survival. Under half of all polar bear cubs make it to adulthood.

Researchers use remote camera footage and satellite collars to gain new insights into polar bear denning behavior and cub survival. The denning period is the most critical time in a polar bear’s life.